Dele Jonathan (1946-2017)

Even the most casual observer, of the Lagos pulsating boxing scene of the 1970s, would know Dele Jonathan. He was Lagos-born, Oyo-native but Barcelona, Spain-based.

He became the Lagos boxing toast when he decisioned Britain’s Jim Watt for the vacant Commonwealth Lightweight Boxing title, at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, on May 3, 1975.

Though he would go ahead to defend his title a few times (one of those against Percy Hayles) before his eventual defeat, also in Lagos, by Lennox Blackmoore (October 1, 1977), his real rumble-in-the-jungle was against Hogan Jimoh, his flint-hard compatriot, for the same title. That was on March 4, 1977.

Dele Jonathan versus Hogan Jimoh! That set Lagos quaking and rocking! Hogan Jimoh, though boxed in an earlier era, was the Mike Tyson of his time — he, whose thunderous blows and vicious hooks always sent opponents to early dreamland. Before meeting Jonathan, Jimoh had knocked out anyone in sight; and was well and truly formidable.

Jonathan, on the other hand, was no knockout specialist, as shown by his career record of 40 wins (24 knockouts), 10 losses (four by knockout) and eight draws, making a total of 58 fights. Besides, he was older, though more seasoned; and, living and training in Spain, more exposed to better training and perhaps better nutrition.

Still, the Jimoh match-up was so hyped that you could feel the tension days to the bout. At the end, Jonathan fought a calm but technical fight, always blowing away at his younger opponent’s solar plexus, draining out his energy stock; eventually ending the fight with a technical knockout (TKO). Jimoh’s invincibility was over!

Jonathan was a dazzling star of an era when Nigerian boxing, that had already produced two world champions in Hogan “Kid” Bassey and Dick Tiger Ihetu, was on the rebound.

There was no talk of anyone having a shot at the world title. But there was a lot of activity on the boxing lane, with the likes of Jonathan, Jimoh, Joe Lasisi, and even young ex-Olympians like Obisia Nwakpa, famous southpaw, Kazeem Armah (Kayin Armah in his amateur days), and Jerry Okorodudu, setting the boxing scene ablaze. The Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) also staged regular fights with decent purses, and got local Nigerian boxers into Commonwealth, West African Boxing Union (WABU) and African Boxing Union (ABU), ratings. It was from such activity that Jonathan got his Commonwealth title shot.

Jonathan had his debut professional fight in Forli, Emilia Romagna, Italy on March 29, 1969, against Italian Umberto Cantarella. He won by knockout. He had his last fight against Lennox Blackmore, on October 1, 1977, a painful National Day loss on points, that saw him also kiss his Commonwealth title goodbye. That decade signalled a boxing revival, which nevertheless would fall back into the doldrums in the 1990s, which has lasted practically till today. Jonathan was not only part of that revival, he was among the elite boxers, one of the very few based abroad.

Which then makes a surprise the near-destitution of the tail end of his life. He reportedly depended on charity to fight his early old age health challenges. That is not good enough for such an iconic boxer who not only did well for himself but also made his country proud.

Though Jonathan was a professional boxer who fought for money, and ought to have provisioned for the proverbial rainy day, it is no less painful that a boxer of his grade could die in such circumstances.

The government should put in place policies to ensure our present athletes do not end up with these same difficulties in their winter years.